Gasket



Aug.'2, 1938. P W DEMPSEY 2,125,334

K GASKET Filed NOV. 22, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR PHILIP VV. DEMF BEY ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1938.

P. w. DEMPsx-:Y 2,125,334y

GASKET Filed Nov. 22, 19:55 3 sheets-sheet :s

|9 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 2, 1938y PATENT OFFICE GASKET Philip W. Dempsey, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 22,1935, Serial No. 51,057

3 Claims.

This invention relates to gaskets, particularly gaskets having different portions of varying degrees of hardness and exibility.

There `is disclosed in Patent 2,055,103 to Ellis E. Hewitt, a composite gasket of rubber material having a diaphragm portion of one degree oi hardness and flexibility and a peripheral gasket portion which is relatively harder and less flexible than the diaphragm portion so as to sustain the clamping forces and prevent excessive distortion of the diaphragm portion due to the clamping forces.

The different portions of such a composite gasket must be composed of rubber material of p diierent character so that the desired degree oi hardness and flexibility for the different portions results following the molding and vulcanizing operation. It has been found, however, that due to the different portions of the composite gasket being made of. rubber material of different character, the several portions of the gasket do not coalesce, that is unite into a unitary mass, under the molding and vulcanizing operation but merely adhere firmly to each other. Under service conditions, the several portions oi the composite gasket may separate from each other thereby terminatingthe effective useful life of the gasket.

' `It is accordingly an object of vmy invention to increase the serviceability and life of a composite gasket of the type having portions of rubber material which differ respectively in degree of hardness and flexibility.

More specically, it is an object of my invention to provide a composite gasket of the type indicated in the foregoing object in which the several parts differing respectively in degree of hardness and flexibility are so constructed and arranged as to be interlocked with eachother.

The above and other objects of my invention which will be made apparent hereinafter are attained in a mannerwhich will be subsequently described and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a plan View, showing the appearance of one face of the gasket,

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, showing in further ,detail the vconstruction of the gasket shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view, showing the appearance of the face of the gasket opposite to that shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an exploded isometric view, showing the "invention, prior to assembly,

that indicated by the broken line 8-8 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the relation of constituent parts of the gasket' in the mold prior to application of pressure and heat, ythe section of the gasket corresponding to that indicated by the broken line 9-9 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the completed gasket. taken on line 8--8 ofFlg. 3, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the gasket, taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

As will be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, lthe gasket comprising my invention includes a gasket body -portion II of suitable material, such as rubber, having a' certain hardness and fiexibility when vulcanized, a flexible diaphragm portion I2 united to the body portion II in a manner hereinafter described and being of material, such as rubber, softer and more flexible-than the body portion when vulcanized, and a piston seat portion Il which is united to the body portion II in the manner hereinafter described and which is also of material, such as rubber, softer and more flexible than the body portion I I when vulcanized.

The body portionv II has two openings I and I6 through which may extend projections on the members between which the gasket is clamped. Additional openings I1 and I8 in the body portion II are provided through which bolts may extend for securing the v'clamping members.

The diaphragm portion I2, the piston seat portion I3, and each ofthe openings I5, I6, I1 and I3 are each completely surrounded by a pair of spaced sealing ribs I9 which project and taper outwardly from the face of the gasket as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. v

The opposite face of the gasket is provided with so-called "phantom beads or ribs 2l coincident with the ribs I9 but of rectangular cross-section and extending a lesser distance away from the corresponding face of the gasket than do ribs I9, in a manner and for a purpose described and claimed in the copending application Serial No. 738,492, now Patent No. 2,058,010, of Ellery R. Fitch, assigned to the assignee of this application.

The gasket is provided with a plurality of projections 23 extending into the openings I5 and I6 in the manner and for a purpose taught and claimed in the copending application Serial No.

724,080, now Patent No. 2,074,746, of Ellis E. Hewitt, assigned to the assignee of this application.

Further details of construction of the gasket shown in Figs. 1 to 3 will be understood from the following description of the method by which the gasket is made.

AReferring particularly to Figs. 4 and -5, it will be seen that the gasket body portion II is made up of three layers 25, 26, and 21 of coincident contour, the layers being of substantially the same thickness and of the same material, -which material when vulcanized attains the desired degl-ee of hardness and exibility for the gasket body II. Each of the layers 25, 26 and 21 has corresponding perforatlons or openings 28, 29, 3l and 32 therein for providing the necessary openings I5, I6, I1 and I8, respectively, of the completed gasket. The one outer layer 25 also has therein an opening 33 and an opening 34. The intermediate layer 26 has therein two openings 35 and 36 adapted to register coaxially with the openings 33 and 34, respectively, in the layer 25 when the layers 25 and 26 are in coinciding superimposed relation but which are larger in size than the openings 33- and 34 of the layers 25. The outer layer 21 has herein an opening 31, which is the same size as the opening 35 of the layer 26 and which is adapted to register coaxially with the opening 35 of the layer 26 when the layer 21 is superimposed on the layer 26, and-an opening 38 corresponding in size to the opening 34 in the layer 25, which opening is adapted to register coaxially with the opening 36 in the layer 26.

The diaphragm portion I2 is made up of three disc-like layers 42, 43 and 44 which correspond respectively in size to and are adapted to t into the openings 34, 36 and 38 respectively of the severallayers 25, 26 and 21. 'I'he discs 42 and 44 are constituted wholly of rubber material while the disc 43 has a layer 45 of reinforcing fabric embedded centrally therein, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 8.

The piston seat portion I3 is formed out of an annulus 4I, which is substantially twice as thick as the individual layers 25, 26 and 21, and

- which is composed of material which when vul' canized has the desired degree of softness 'and exibility for the piston seat portion I3.

The inner sealing rib I9 surrounding the diaphragm portion I2 and the inner sealing rib I9 surrounding the pieton seat portion I3 are formed, respectively, out of two lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber material which -is the same iin character as the rubber material composing the layers 2 5, 26 and 21. The lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber are oTrelativelysmall circular cross-section and string-like in appearance, and are adapted to be disposed ln circular grooves in the gasket mold in the manner hereinafter described. In order to enable a more ready understanding of the method of manufacture in volved, the lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber are shown in Fig. 4 as arranged in circular form with ends overlapped, and disposed in the posi-v tion which .they occupy relative to the gasket layers when in the mold.

The constituent parts shown in Fig. 4 are assembled in any suitable manner into the form shown in Fig. 5. For purposes of illustration, the constituent elements or parts of the gasket may be assembled in the following manner: (l) The diaphragm disc 42 is fitted into the opening 34 in the layer 25, (2) the 'layer 26 is superimposed in coinciding relation 0n top of the layer 25, 3) the diaphragm discus is fitted ini-,o theopening 36 of the central layer 26, (4) the annulus 4I is fitted into the opening 35 of the `central layer 26, (5) the layer 21 is superimposed in coinciding relation on top of layer 26 with the annulus 4I extending into the opening 31 and being flush at the'upper face thereof with the upper face of the layer 21, and (6) the diaphragm disc 44 is fitted into the opening 38 in the layer 21. The lengths 46 and 41 of'extruded rubber are not shown in Fig. 5 inasmuch as the cooperation thereof with the gasket assembly shown in Fig. 5 is eiected in the mold in the manner to be subsequently described hereinafter in connection with Figs. 6 and 7. I

For simplicity, the mold wherein the gasket isformed and which comprises upper and lower portions is not completely shown in either Fig. 6 or Fig. 7, only those fragments thereof being indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 which are necessary to an understanding of the disposition of the lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber relative to the gasket assembly in the mold prior to the vulcanizing operation.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the lower portion 5I of the mold has a recess 52 therein for receiving that portion of the gasket assembly which includes the diaphragm portion I2, the face of the recess 52 having circular grooves 53 and 54 therein which grooves are of such cross-sectional configuration as to form the desired cross-section for the sealing ribs I9.

On the inner face of the mold portion 5I and surrounding the recess 52 are a pair of concentric spaced troughs or grooves 55 and 56 which are adapted to receive the overow of the gasket material when the gasket is subjected to pressure and heat in the mold, these grooves 55 and 56 being described and claimed in my Patent 1,910,526. On the inner face of the uppergportion 51 of the mold opposite the recess 52 of the lower portion 5I are a pair of concentric circular spaced grooves 58 and 59 adapted to form the recess 6I has therein a pair of concentric spaced grooves 63 and 64 for forming respectively the outer and inner sealing ribs I 9 which surround the piston seatportion I3 shown in Fig. l. Overiow troughs or grooves 55d and 56a, correspond- Ing to the grooves 55 and 56 and surrounding the recess 6I, are also provided on the inner face of y the lower portion 5I of the mold. The inner face ofthe upper portion 51 of the mold has therein a circular groove 65 for forming the outer phantom bead'2I around` the piston seat portionI3 and a relatively wide annular groove 66 inwardly concentric to the groove 65 forforming a rela-y tively wide supporting back surface for the piston seat portion I3.

The lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber are tively, of the lower portion 5I of the mold, and the gasket assembly shown in Fig. 5 is then placed in the mold with the upper face downward, it being understood that the inner face of the lower portion 5I `of the mold is provided with a suitable recess, including the recesses 52 and 6I for receiving the entire gasket assembly therein. After placing the upper portion 51 of the mold first disposed in the grooves 54 and 64, respec-AA '6 y 2,125,334 in suitable aligned cooperative reianon with the lower portion I -and securing the two portions together in any suitable manner, the mold is then subjected to suitable pressure and heat, it being understood that the inner surfaces of the upper and lower portion of the mold ultimately meet in contacting relation. l

'I'he gasket is maintained in the mold -under suitable pressure and heat conditions for a suitable length of time necessary to vulcanize and unite the various parts into a unitary structure. Upon removal of the gasket from the mold, any flash or. excess material extrudedalong the peripheral edge of the gasket may be removed in any 'suitable manner, as by builing, in order to provide smooth peripheral edges for the gasket.

In the completed gasket, as shown in the sectional views of Figs. 8 and 9, it will be noted that the three gasket layers 25, 26 and 21 and the lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber. become integrally united under the vulcanizing process as do also the three diaphragm discs 42, 43 and 44. It will be further noted by a comparison of Figs. 6 and '1 relative to Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, that the total thickness of the three diaphragm discs 42, 43 and 44, priorto the application of pressure and heat isgreater than the thickness of the diaphragm portion I2 in the completed gasket, and that the thicknessof the annulus 4I prior to the application of pressure and heat is slightly greater than that of the piston seat portion I3 in the completed gasket. It should therefore be understoodl that the material of the diaphragm discs 42, 43 and 44 and of the annulus 4I flows radially outward under the pressure and heat conditions while in the mold.

According to my invention, I provide the lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber and initially dis'- pose them in the grooves 54 and 64 of the mold,

in order to prevent ther relatively soft rubber material of the diaphragm discs 42, 43, and 44 and of the annulus 4I from flowing into the sealing rib grooves 54 and 64 of the mold under presrelatively hard rubber material of the body porc'si tion I I and the relatively soft rubber material of the diaphragm portion I2 and the piston seat portion I3 is uniformly determined.- This is-of particular importance in corniection with the diaphragm portion I2, in order to obtain uniform diaphragm characteristics.

It will be noted, additionally, in Figs. 8 and 9 that the periphery of the diaphragm portion I2 as well as the periphery of the annulus 4I is overlapped on both sides by the gasket body portion II and, therefore, that the diaphragm portion I2 and the piston seat portion I3 are interlockingly embedded in the gasket body portion II, thereby preventing possible severance or separation of the I3 from the gasket body portion I I.

Furthermore, in view of the fact that the sealing ribs I9 and the phantom ribs 2I are on the part of the gasket body portion II which overlaps the priphery of the diaphragm portion I2and the piston seat portion I3, it will be seen that when the gasket is conned between two clamping members on opposite sides thereof, the clamping force presses the sealing ribs I9 and 2 I, which are relatively hard, into the periphery of the diaphragm portion I2 and piston seat portion I3, which are relatively soft, and this further serves to prevent severance or separation of the diaphragm portion I2 and piston seat portion I3 from the gasket body portion I I.

While I have disclosed a principle of construction and a method of manufacture as applied to a specific type of gasket, it should be understood that both the principle of construction and the method ofmanufacture disclosedherein may be employed in the construction and manufacture of other types and coniigurations of gaskets. It is not my intention therefore to limit the scope of my invention except as necessitated by the prior art and as defined in the appended article claims and the process claims of my copending divisional application Serial No. 207,497, iiled May 12, 1938.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A composite gasket comprising a portion of relatively soft flexible rubberl and a portion of f relatively hard and less exible rubber than that of the soft flexible portion surrounding the periphery of and overlapping on both sides the peripheral section of the soft flexible portion.

2. A combined gasket and diaphragm comprising a diaphragm portion of relatively soft flexible rubber, and a gasket portion of rubber which is harder and less flexible than that of the diaphragm portion, surrounding the periphery of and overlapping on both sides the peripheral section of the diaphragm portion, both sides of the diaphragm portion being exposed at the inner area thereof.

3. A composite gasket and diaphragm comprising a diaphragm portion of relatively soft ilexible rubber, a gasket portion of rubber harder and less exible than that of the diaphragm portion, surrounding the periphery of and overlapping the peripheral section of the diaphragm portion on both sides, a sealing rib of the same material as the gasket portion integrally formed on one overlapping side of the gasket portion, and another rib of the same material as the gasket portion formed on the other overlapping side of the gasket portion in alignment with the said sealing rib, said ribs being eifective ,when subject to clamping force to eifect gripping of the peripheral section of the diaphragm portion along a linev spaced inwardly from the outer periphery of the diaphragm portion and thereby assist in preventing separation of the diaphragm portion from the gasket portion. y PHILIP W. DEMPSEY.

diaphragm portion I2 and the piston seat portion 

